Gas leak forces shutdown of 91 Freeway in Anaheim

ANAHEIM - A gas leak forced evacuations and street closures around Tustin and East La Palma avenues in Anaheim today.

All lanes were blocked on Tustin from the Riverside (91) Freeway to La Palma, Anaheim police Lt. Tim Schmidt said. The northbound off-ramp of the freeway at Tustin was also closed, he said.

A construction crew working on street lighting pierced a 3-inch plastic gas line, according to Southern California Gas spokeswoman Denise King. The utility responded to the rupture about 11:50 a.m., she added.

“There are no outages that we’re aware of,” King said.

The accident is a “good reminder” to contractors to call 811 two days before digging to avoid rupturing a gas line, King said. If given the proper heads up, the utility can mark where gas lines are located, King said.